City celebrates in style

The three-day extravaganza to mark the 65th capital foundation day started with a colourful, ceremonial parade at PMG square on Saturday, where the first Prime Minister of the country Jawaharlal Nehru had laid the foundation stone of modern Bhubaneswar.

TNN | Apr 14, 2013, 03:48 IST

BHUBANESWAR: The three-day extravaganza to mark the 65th capital foundation day started with a colourful, ceremonial parade at PMG square on Saturday, where the first Prime Minister of the country Jawaharlal Nehru had laid the foundation stone of modern Bhubaneswar.
Students from 54 schools and colleges, besides Odisha State Armed Police (OSAP) 7th Battalion personnel and CRPF police band, participated in the colourful civil parade, witnessed by a sea of humanity that thronged the celebration venue to be part of the annual event.

Speaking on the occasion after inspecting the parade, which included an enchanting presentation by tiny tots of Sarala dance group, state assembly Speaker Pradip Amat reminded the gathering of the eroding green cover from the once serene city and urged denizens to plant as many saplings as they can to restore the lost beauty.

"The government and the common man have to work together for the common good of our beloved city to regain the past environment. We should be proud to be residents of this city with a glorious past," he said.

Also speaking at the event, revenue minister S N Patro said the government is committed to take concerted steps for beautification of the city of temples. Hailing the city's emergence as an educational hub a reason to cheer, housing and urban development minister Debi Prasad Mishra asked the youth to garner maximum benefits from the boom, while information and public relations minister Arun Sahoo said city residents have a bigger role to play than the government machinery to ensure equitable growth and sustainable development of the city.

The capital foundation day celebration committee conferred Rajdhani Gourab Samman (pride of the capital honour) on 13 eminent personalities from various fields on the occasion. The committee also awarded Maharshi College of Natural Law for being adjudged first in the parade show at the college level.

A photo exhibition portraying the glorious past of the capital city, besides other parts of the state, was inaugurated at Jaydev Bhawan to mark the occasion. Committee chairman Prados Patnaik said cultural programmes and competitions will be held during the next two days in front of the Indira Gandhi Park as part of the celebrations.

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